Straw holder and dispenser.



J. GILBERT.

STBAW HOLDER AND DISPENSER. Arrmonlon'nnnn x0v.1e, 190a.

Patented Aug. 9, 1910.

2 BHEETS-BKSBT 1.

INVENIOR d/IGOB G/LBERI Aime/vain? J. GILBERT. 1 STBAW HOLDER ANDDISPENSER.

APPLICATION IILEDKOV. 1B,

Patented Aug. 9, 1910.

3 SHEETS-85?! 2.

| l P I I I I I I I I H H Hl ll l l P ldl l U INVENTOB (/4005 GILBERT.

ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB GILBERT, 0F NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR, IBY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,'10

NATIONAL NOVELTY COMPANY, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, A CORPORATION OFTENNESSEE.

STRAW HOLDER AND DISPENSER.

Specification of Lettersl'atent. Patented A11 3 9,1910.

Application filed November 18, 1909. Serial No. 528,653.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB GILBERT, a

citizen of the United States, and a residentv of Nashville, in thecounty of Davidson and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Straw Holders and Dispensers, of which the'following is a specification.

My invention is an improved apparatus for holding and dispensing strawsused in connection with soda-fountains and else where.

The invention is embodied in the construction of the body of thestraw-holder, and in the construction, arrangement, and attachment ofthe means by which the straws are dispensed or delivered from the same.

The details of construction, combination, and operation of parts are ashereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus as a whole. Fig. 2is a central, ver tical, longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is avertical cross section, on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is a verticalcross section of the lower portion of the apparatus, on the line 4-4: ofFig. 2. Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fig. 4., save that thestraw-dispensing or delivering devices are shown in a different oroperating position. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of-a portion of thedispensing devices, and Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views. I

The body of the apparatus comprises a central transparent portion 1,preferably constructed of glass, and circular flanged heads 2 and 3 intowhich the part 1 is fitted and by which it is held in cylindrical form.Each of the heads 2 and 3 is provided with integral supports consistingof diverging legs 1, 4 and 5, 5 which are connected by cross-bars 6', 6,that are curved slightly downward, and, in practice, may serve forsupport of straws. The heads 2 and 3, with their integral supports 4 and5,are rigidly connected by longitudinal, flanged bars 7 and 8, theflanges being formed by turning downward the ends of such bars andsecuring them by screws or rivets to the webs of the frame directlybelow the circular heads 2 and 3. These bars 7 and 8 are arrangedcleanliness and to prevent rust.

parallel, but separated by a space which, as shown in Fig. 3, issuflicient for the easy passage of straws. The edges thus separated areturned downward and form guide flanges 9. The head 2 has a solid endportion 2, but the head 3 is practically annular in form and providedwith a detachable head 3, the same being provided, as shown in Figs. 1and 2, with a dowel 10 on one side and a fastening pin 11 on theopposite side, that is to say, at the bottom. The head 3 is providedwith a flange, as shown, which overlaps the adjacent portion of theannular part 3. By raising the pin 11, which is provided with a head forthis purpose, the head 3* may be readily detached. A screw or lug isarranged at 12 to prevent the pin 11 being entirely drawn out.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4:, the edges of the cylindrical glass body 1overlap slightly the upper edges of the two longitudinal flanged bars 7and 8, and the said body is held in place by the pressure and frictionof its ends with the heads 2 and 8.

By the construction described, I produce a straw-holder into which thestraws may be readily introduced by removing the head l) and in whichthey are protected from dust and other foreign substances, besidespresenting an attractive appearance through the glass body. The partscomposing the body and frame may be also readily put together ordetached by simply applying or removing the screws which secure theflanged bars 7 and 8 to the end portions.

All of the parts which have been thus far named, save the body 1, arepreferably nickel-plated for sake of ornamentation and g It will beunderstood that all of the parts, save the body 1, are constructed ofbrass, steel, or other suitable metal, and that ordinarily tihey wouldbe struck up by means of suitable The dispensing devices are constructedas follows. A flap valve 13 is fixed on a longitudinal shaft la which,as shown in Fig. 3, is arranged directly behind the lower edge of theflanged bar 8 and has its bearings in thewebs of the end portions of theframe through which they project at each end and are there provided withthumb-levers 15.

Such valve is supported normally-in horizontal position by means of a plte-spring 16 which is secured to the central portion of the flanged bar8. In this closed position, it lies against the flanges 9 of thelongitudinal bars 7 and 8. When opened or turned downward to its fullestextent by pressing upon a thumb-lever 15, it is arrested by a stop 17,as shown in Fig. 5. When the levers are relieved of pressure, the valvecloses automatically by tension of the spring 16.

The shaft 14 is provided with two straw cut-offs whose construction,arrangement, and operation are as follows. The longitudinal bar 8 isprovided with vertical slots through which work devices 18 that serveboth as agitators and cut-offs, the same consisting of a bar or stemwhich is pivoted to a lug or offset on the shaft 13. When the valve 13is in normal position, as shown in Figs. 3 and at, the heads of thesecut-ofis and agitators 18 lie flush with the inner edges of the bar 8;but when the shaft is rotated by pressing upon a thumb-lever 15, thedevices 18 are pushed upward into the position shown in Fig. 5, so thattheir heads, which are elongated downwardly, push up against the body ofstraws lying in the receptacle, thus agitating or stirring themsufficiently to prevent adhesion of one to another, but, what is moreimportant, they cut off the descent of straws into the narrow passageleading to the place of discharge. In other words, at this time theheads of the devices 18 approach nearenough to the opposite bar 7 whichis secured upon the bar 7, to prevent the already passed into thepassageway is imposed on the valve 13. When the latter is opened, asshown in Fig. 5, the straw which lies directly upon it is free to slidedownward and outward, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5; but thestraws lying directly above the one so discharged are arrested intheirdescent by means of flanges or wings 19 which work through the sameslots as the upper cut-off 18, and which, when not in operation, liewholly retracted or flush with the flange of the bar 8, as shown inFigs. 3 and 4. The devices 19 not only serve as cut-offs, as described,but have the additional function of serving to aid the discharge ofstraws by pushing against the lower one lying on the valve when open. Inpractice, these lower cut-olfs 19, whose function is the most importantof the two, are provided with the lugs or offsets heretofore referred toand serving for pivotal conneetions of the upper cut-offs 18.

It would, of course, be practicable to arrange the upper cutoffs atdifferent points in the length of the bar 8, instead of arranging themdirectly over the lower cutpassage of a straw between them Thus, onlythe weight of straws which have offs 19, but, for sake of economy ofconstruction, it is preferable that the two devices shall be arrangedand operated as shown. It will be noted that one side of the cut-offs 19is circular or curved in form, whereby they are adapted to move incontact with the straw whose descent is arrested, without abrading orotherwise injuring the same.

The dispensing apparatus here described operates with absolute certaintyand will deliver the last straw from the receptacle as readily as any ofthe others.

The bars 6 may be as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, so the straws lying on saidbars will be accessible from all sides, without turning the machinearound. Or, the bars 6 may be as shown in Fig. 7, inclining toward thefront of the machine so the straws thereon will be accessible from thefront of the machine only. The bars 7 may be made i11- tegral with thepart 7, as shown in Fig. 8.

The holder may be made for dispensing lead pencils, tooth picks, andsimilar articles, as well as for straws.

What I claim is 1. The body of the described apparatus, comprising asolid circular head 2 and an annular head 3, each provided with flangesprojecting inward and with rigid supporting legs, longitudinal barsrigidly connecting said heads and legs and attached to the latter attheir junction with the heads, a thin cylindrical body whose ends areheld by and within the aforesaid flanges, the said annular head having adetachable disk-like portion 3 and means for securing the sametemporarily in place, as shown and described.

2. In an apparatus for the purpose specified, the combination with thestraw-holder proper, having frame bars arranged longitudinally at thebottom, but separated and provided with downwardly bent flanges to serveas straw-guides, one of said bars being provided with vertical slots, arotatable shaft journaled adjacent to the slotted bar and provided witha flap valve adapted to close the straw-delivery passage, a spring forholding such valve normally closed, and cut-offs working in said slots,and consisting of a device attached to the shaft and adapted, when theshaft is rotated, to project into the passageway and thus arrest thedescent of straws, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus for the purpose specified, the combination with thestraw-holder proper having at the bottom parallel frame bars separatedto form a passageway for straws and one of them provided with a seriesof vertical slots, of a rotary shaft arranged adjacent to the passagewaylongitudinally and provided with a flap valve adapted to normally closethe passageway, a

cut-01f attached to theshaft and having a ofis being in the samevertical plane and curved outer edge adapted, when the shaft workingthrough the same slots, as shown is rotated, to project into the path ofthe and described.

straws, and a series of upper agitators and JACOB GILBERT. cut-ofi'spivotally connected with the lower -Witnesses:

cut-offs and adapted, when the shaft is ro- WM. T. RAGSDALE,

tated, to project into the holder, both eut- M. A. SPUBR.

